Denver Boom Lift Rental Safety-Rent Safe Fall Hazard Prevention

This fall hazard awareness construction work site safety update is sponsored by Rent It Today’s Rent Safe program and features Volvo Rents Denver construction equipment rental center in Longmont, CO and the Colorado Springs, CO construction equipment rental location - The Denver Scissor Lift Rental and Boom Lift Leasing Experts.

Safe Use of Aerial Boom Lifts Minimizes the Risk of Fall Hazards and Saves Lives

Boom lift rentals, scissor lifts, and man lifts are construction site staples, thanks to their ability to provide a stable aerial work platform that places workers in normally hard-to-reach areas where work must be done. With any type of construction work or heavy equipment use there are always hazards and risks involved. When it comes to renting aerial boom lifts and working at heights, fall hazards are the top safety priority.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Construction Workplace Safety and Health division reported “according to the 2009 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 605 workers were killed and an estimated 212,760 workers were seriously injured by falls to the same or lower level. The highest frequency of fall-related fatalities was experienced by the construction industry (NIOSH Construction Fall Injuries Prevention in the Workplace).”

The great tragedy is that most, if not all, of these accidents could be prevented through proper training and by observing appropriate safety precautions.

Lanyards, safety harnesses, and/or full body harnesses should be worn at all times while working at heights. As with any motor vehicle, operators should perform a safety inspection prior to operation. Any worn or broken parts must immediately be repaired or replaced. Tires must be in working order and all screws must be securely tightened to ensure the safe operation of the vehicle.

Aerial lifts must be operated in a situations for which they were designed. Boom lift rentals should be operated on level ground or inclines within their recommended safe ranges. Anything outside of that range could cause the lift to break free and roll or slide during operation. Additionally, workers should keep a look out for low-hanging wires or other overhead obstructions. Colliding with overhead structures can cause not only monetary damage but also severe injuries. Thorough training must be completed before operation. It might be tempting to pick up these skills on the job, but that’s how expensive and potentially life-threatening accidents occur. Common sense can save the day. If you’re planning to operate a vehicle, don’t do so until you’re adequately trained.

In order to successfully reduce the risks of fall hazards, fall injuries, and fatalities from falling regulators, manufacturers, construction equipment rental companies, contractors or employers, workers, safety professionals and researchers must work together. Only through collaboration and dedication to improving work environments by implementing new effective fall prevention and protection technologies and safety practices can the construction industry create a safer, more productive workplace.

About Volvo Rents Construction Equipment of Colorado:

Volvo Rents Construction Equipment – Longmont, CO

Equipment Rental Location: 4068 Camelot Cir. Longmont, CO, 80504

Heavy Equipment Rental Service Area: Boulder, Fort Collins, Longmont, Denver, Greeley, Broomfield, Loveland, Front Range; Counties: Boulder, Weld, Larimer, Morgan, Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams, Douglas; Metro area(s): Northern Colorado, Denver Metro

Featured Denver Construction Equipment Rentals: Forklifts, Ground Heaters, Boom Lifts, Aerial Lifts, Backhoe Rentals, Wheel Loaders, Excavator Rental, Scissor Lifts, Skid Steers, Water Trucks, Generators, Air Compressors, Rammers, Light Towers.

Volvo Rents Construction Equipment – Colorado Springs, CO

Equipment Rental Location: 6425 East Platte Avenue Colorado Springs, CO, 80915

Heavy Equipment Rental Service Area: Colorado Springs, Fort Carson, Woodland Park, Black Forest,Fountain, Pueblo, Monument, Castle Rock, Front Range; Counties: El Paso, Teller, Park, Elbert, Freemont, Pueblo; Metro area(s): Colorado Springs

Featured Colorado Springs Construction Equipment Rentals: Bobcats, Ground Heaters, Forklifts, Boom Lifts, Aerial Lifts, Backhoes, Excavator Rental, Skid Steers, Drum Rollers, Wheel Loaders, Trenchers, Water Trucks, Scissor Lifts, Air Compressors, Light Towers, Generators.

Written by +Matthew Stephenson for +RentItToday - Make Renting Simple and RENT SAFE!

Volvo L35B Wheel Loader Rental Safety

Volvo CE L35B Compact Wheel Loader

Volvo L35B Compact Wheel Loader Safety and Maintenance

Whether its ink-less, crusty dry erase markers in an office or construction equipment with a completely empty fuel tank, nothing can make a job an annoying slog like poorly maintained tools. Not only does it hurt productivity, but in the case of construction, can actually be a huge security problem. Thankfully, high quality construction equipment from an equipment rental source is built with this in mind, which makes maintenance a breeze. Heavy equipment machines like wheel loaders are rented often and used for a variety of job site applications in rugged environments. The Volvo L35B compact wheel loader is an example of this – it absolutely needs regular maintenance like any piece of construction equipment rental does, but it’s built in such a way as to make that maintenance as easy to perform as possible.

Rather than squish and cram the machinery inside the engine compartment wherever it will fit, Volvo has taken care to position all the serviceable elements of the engine in easy reach. The most drastic (and undeniably coolest) feat of engineering for the sake of convenience is that the L35B loader’s engine is actually set on its side inside the engine compartment, which makes it much easier to work on. As a result, all the filters are right out in front as opposed to crammed up under the engine. This enables one to swap out filters without having to crawl on the ground and inevitably end up covered in motor oil. What’s more, all fluids are located within reach too. The diesel fuel reservoir, engine oil, and other essential fluids are all extremely easy to check and adjust, which ensures the equipment will always perform at top efficiency.

Of course, maintenance is only one aspect of proper heavy equipment rental use. The Volvo L35B compact loader also has a number of smart safety features to ensure the correct operation of the equipment in all situations. The equipment provides basic necessities like running lights that illuminate the work area in low-light conditions. A particularly innovative feature in the L35B wheel loader is a large pin that can lock the articulating hinge in the middle between the two wheel axles. I’m not in a rush to have a hand or a piece of clothing caught in that monster hinge, so that lock is fantastic for peace of mind while servicing the machine, or using it in a situation that doesn’t necessitate the articulation. Another great design decision by Volvo was to move the boom down in between the wheels. That means you’d have to go out of your way to come in contact with it during operation, and if you do that, you really have no one to blame but yourself for what happens.

From maintenance to operating safety, Volvo has developed a number of innovative features that make the L35B compact wheel loader rental an efficient piece of equipment. Connect with +Volvo Construction Equipment and +Volvo Rents on Google.

Rent Quiet Emphasized at NIOSH Buy-Quiet Meetings

Construction equipment, industrial machinery, and power tools continue to evolve enabling people to accomplish jobs faster, more efficiently and safely. Demand for equipment designed to increase production and profit will always be a dominant market force within the manufacturing industry. Equipment design and functionality is also influenced by competitive forces driven by the need to develop machinery that can do more but cost less. Considering how powerful such economic influences are it is naive to think user safety is always the top priority when designing machinery.

Renting tools and the construction equipment rental industry were brought to the forefront of related discussions in recent “Buy-Quiet” meetings hosted by The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). These meetings included global thought leaders working on the Buy-Quiet (BQ) initiative.

Buy-Quiet is both a call to action and program that is conceptually straight forward: give consumers the option to buy tools and equipment that produce less noise in order to help prevent hearing loss among workers using them. The broader focus of the BQ program involves increasing the demand for quieter machinery in order to influence manufacturers to produce it. Buy-Quiet (BQ) is a National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) jointly organized by the NORA Construction Sector and Manufacturing Sector Programs, and the NIOSH Hearing Loss Prevention Cross-sector Program.

Renting or “Rent-Quiet” is inherently a concept of Buy-Quiet. The words buy and rent are interchangeable within the context of purchasing equipment relative to its use by consumers and workers.

In the case of noise exposure, hearing protection is certainly a valuable tool used to prevent hearing loss. However, a significant opportunity to bring about long term change in reducing noise exposure and thus hearing loss comes from “prevention through design” initiatives like Buy or Rent-Quiet.

If you are unable to eliminate hazards or remove workers from a dangerous environment the next course of action is to minimize the risk from exposure. Programs that offer resources to help people “Rent Safe” (a resource being developed by RentItToday.com for 2012) or more specifically Rent-Quiet are a viable way to bring safety awareness to the construction and manufacturing industries.

Try The Sound Meter at CDC.gov CLICK HERE

A recent article from the NIOSH science blog mentions some of the challenges that come with getting manufacturers to become vested in and prioritize the production of safer, quieter tools and machines. One sure-fire way to bring about change from equipment manufacturers is through influencing consumer purchasing decisions. How is consumer purchasing influenced with respect to buying quieter equipment?

One way is by developing resources that educate and bring awareness to consumers regarding noise levels associated with different types or models of machinery. Examples of such resources include the NIOSH Noise Meter which enables people to listen to different sounds and noise intensities of commonly used items while learning if they could cause hearing loss. Another example is the NIOSH Power Tools Database which enables one to compare the noise levels produced by different tools.

Ultimately if workers and consumers have access to resources that enable them to make informed decisions regarding how safe (or loud) the tools and machinery they rent are, one may increase demand for safer, quieter, equipment thus bring us full circle in the hierarchy of controls and eliminating the hazard.

Written by +Matthew Stephenson of +RentItToday

Follow #rentquiet on twitter @RentQuiet

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